FlyWalt Posted December 6, 2016 Report Posted December 6, 2016 Cost of a So So bare minimum annual = Cheap dollars plus give up your piece of mind about the quality of the work.
Hank Posted December 6, 2016 Report Posted December 6, 2016 1 hour ago, FlyWalt said: Cost of a So So bare minimum annual = Cheap dollars plus give up your piece of mind about the quality of the work. Just remember that High Price and High Quality do not necessarily go together . . .Some Quality items cost less, and some Expensive things are poor quality. Do your homework!
kevinw Posted December 6, 2016 Report Posted December 6, 2016 As I read this thread a couple things come to mind: 1. Quality work comes at a price and I'm good with that as long as I know up front. 2. We can't expect a shop to price match parts from Aircraft Spruce but don't clip me either. They deserve a fair profit like the rest of us. 3. As an owner of a car dealership that has a shop I know we "can" charge for everything, but we don't because it sends a very bad message. The charge for the seat rail cotter pins would have me running for the hills. This move tells me everything I need to know about this shop and that is while they may provide excellent work, they are masters at maximizing labor hours. The minimum quarter hour is another bad sign in my opinion; we go by the tenth. 4. Lastly, I really appreciate both my mechanical and avionics shops now more than ever. They are certainly not the cheapest but they've never surprised me like the OP was either. Takeaway, find a good shop you trust and stick with them. Just my two cents... Kevin 2
FlyWalt Posted December 6, 2016 Report Posted December 6, 2016 Hank, You are SOOOO RIGHT about that. My post was directed at people with the mindset of going cheap on their mx needs. I have spent the first 3 years of aircraft ownership sorting out who is deserving of my trust. There are now 2 shops in this world that will never see either my aircraft and my checkbook ever again. Sadly, the first of those two is such a scumbag that he has closed up shop due to many others taking their business elsewhere. From here on out I ONLY go to MSC;s or Mooney Centric Shops. Regards, W
Hank Posted December 7, 2016 Report Posted December 7, 2016 (edited) Walt, many of us have been burned either by becoming an airplane owner, or by relocating and not having references. Happened to me when I first moved here--he did things I specifically asked him not to do; replaced one of the two big screws on the front of my cowl with a smaller machine screw, with a nut and washer inside. Took me a few minutes to figure out why the screw wasn't coming out. Then the SOB put my inspection panels back on with a power screwdriver, I had to replace almost half of them for either being cross threaded or having damaged heads. Getting the screws out of my spinner (thankfully the Teflon washers were still there) took me 45 minutes, pushing with my legs to hold the screwdriver in to break the screws loose. Threw them all away . . . The stall horn was going off when I picked the plane up, so his "fix"'was to pull the breaker. Etc. For the low, low price of 2-1/2X what I was used to paying . . . Edited December 7, 2016 by Hank 2
Guest Posted December 7, 2016 Report Posted December 7, 2016 8 hours ago, Marauder said: He absolutely pays attention to details! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Someone you may know?
Marauder Posted December 7, 2016 Report Posted December 7, 2016 Someone you may know? Clarence! We finally get to see you what you look like! Another detailed guy looking after Mooneys. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Hank Posted December 7, 2016 Report Posted December 7, 2016 50 minutes ago, M20Doc said: Someone you may know? Love the Coke bottles! Didn't know those were still available . . .
mooney2201 Posted December 7, 2016 Report Posted December 7, 2016 EASY FIX TO CONTROL EXPENSES........LEARN TO TURN A WRENCH,BE PRO ACTIVE IN THE ANNUAL.GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY.
mooniac15u Posted December 7, 2016 Report Posted December 7, 2016 43 minutes ago, mooney2201 said: EASY FIX TO CONTROL EXPENSES........LEARN TO TURN A WRENCH,BE PRO ACTIVE IN THE ANNUAL.GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY. How much is your time worth? Once you factor that in you may not be saving as much as you think.
gsengle Posted December 7, 2016 Report Posted December 7, 2016 And as many have said on this tread, owner assisted annuals doesn't necessarily save em anything.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1
takair Posted December 7, 2016 Report Posted December 7, 2016 Eric Do you happen to have photos of where the corrosion was? Any thoughts on what may have triggered it? (Stripper, birds, mice?). One of the unfortunate aspects of this type of corrosion is that even if it is caught early, it may still require the cap to come off to clean it if it comes from the mating surface. It just seems like you have limited opportunity to catch it until it spreads to a point where it can be seen, and then it is too late. This type of corrosion would be every airplane owners worst nightmare.
carusoam Posted December 7, 2016 Report Posted December 7, 2016 Fun things to keep in mind... 1) MS is helpful for being informed prior to your first annual... It probably started with the PPI... 2) Owner assisted annuals have a few up-sides not included in the price... 3) You get to learn a lot about how every system works... and/or fails... 4) You get to learn a lot about the work that is getting done... 5) You get to know the guys that are working on your plane... 6) you learn how to clean everything, and know that cleaning to that level isn't going to get done without your help... 7) you learn how long it takes to get all the panels off, source the proper fasteners and other pieces... 8) you learn how to write a squawk list during the next year for the next annual... 9) your mechanics get to know you. 10) you get to decide what and how is getting done to your plane. Not being there, you may get Gill batteries...cheap tires and cheap tubes.... and possibly those loser champion things... 11) As the years go buy, many of the young mechanics get old along with you and your Mooney... nice to see you again, Terry! I recognize the plane. 12) I was surprised that the maintenance shop allowed me to be involved with my first annual. They said I was going to break enough things to make it worthwhile for them. They were pretty much right... 13) By my tenth annual, I got really good at removing, cleaning and replacing panels, providing clean and proper fasteners, bagels and coffee... 14) taking a ragged old M20C to a knowledgeable Mx shop can be both enlightening and disappointing in the same visit... 15) you learn all the things that can be fixed to make it fly like new again! 16) you learn what those things are going to cost if you elect to go forwards with the idea... 17) The funny thing about annuals... the expensive newer LBs don't cost any too much more than the annual for the Short Bodies... 18) The best thing about Mooney annuals... very few surprise expensive ADs... 19) Getting older and wearing is inevitable... plan upgrades out through the years... this way your panel looks like Marauder's in 24 years... 20) Fly more often, the cost of the annual gets distributed over more hours that way! Best regards, -a-
Yetti Posted December 7, 2016 Report Posted December 7, 2016 I saw the IA (after helping remove) save a quick 400 dollars on a new alternator for a cessna 410. This was preventive maintenance replacement. Looked at 2 suppliers one was way cheaper. He probably won't get credit for his resourcefulness. So choosing your IA wisely is your best option. I was there for 3 o rings to for the brake master cylinder. 1
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